


Concerned father and marriage

by Phillipe363



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Family, Friendship, Gen, Minor The Doctor/River Song, River Song Loves the Doctor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23271382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phillipe363/pseuds/Phillipe363
Summary: During the night or well night to the human sleep cycles of the TARDIS, Rory unable to sleep finds the Doctor up as well. In the insuring conversation The Doctor reveals about his past on Gallifrey and his past companions that he has traveled with in answering a father's question about his relationship with his daughter. And leads to a realization about a missing piece of River's and his history The Doctor never thought of before.
Relationships: Amy Pond/Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor & Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor/River Song, The Doctor & Romana (Doctor Who), The Doctor & Susan Foreman
Kudos: 36





	Concerned father and marriage

**Hello readers**

**An idea I got for a short DW fic which is kind of like one of those missing scenes in canon type of deal.**

**On with the show**

* * *

TARDIS Kitchen

Rory dressed in a pair of pajamas with Roman soldiers on them, his wife's idea by the way, but can't complain too much given they are very cozy, enters the kitchen. Over at a table, The Doctor is drinking tea from a cup, with eating off a plate containing fish fingers and fruit candy of some kind. Plus reading a Sherlock Holmes novel where in typical Doctor fashion muttering facts being wrong, been there in person along with two people named Litefoot and Jago.

"Ah hey Rory, you okay? Bad night or something?" The Doctor asks in concern.

"To restless, felt like drinking something," Rory says walking over to join him and sitting down.

"Understand" The Doctor replies placing the book down.

Glancing at the candy "What's that?" Rory asks curiously.

"Oh, these, jelly babies. I grew to like them centuries back when I used to run around in a long scarf, and they have strangely stayed with me despite my many different faces" The Doctor explains.

"Huh" Rory replies absently.

"What's on your mind, Rory?" The Doctor asks turning serious.

"It's just River and you had a whole wedding in a different timeline that no longer exists. Seen the way you two interact but this keeps nagging at me is do you love Melody? Like no offense but are you even capable of it" Rory explains in concern.

The Doctor sits silently for a moment not blaming the man, after all, he was a father and later grandfather once centuries ago. And knows if this was some of his other selves who would have perhaps not so great reaction for telling the human to mind his own business or maybe a lie with perfect ease. Despite this regeneration being younger, at times very hyper, the Time Lord knows both are a very well-crafted mask. Just when seeing Rory about to say something like no doubt trying to drop the subject, he decides to speak.

"Love for how you humans perceive it and in regard to marriage is well for you to understand fully where I'm coming from, this might take a bit," The Doctor says.

"Doctor we are on a time machine I think we've got the time" Rory replies.

"For Time Lord's love in marriages was never something that was really talked about or discussed. I'm guessing a few millenniums ago in the dark times that were more prevalent but long gone by the time I was born. Species wises marriages were prearranged, and birth was mostly looming. There were some natural births though it didn't happen often" The Doctor explains.

"Looming as in genetic engineering similar to the flesh stuff we encountered?" Rory inquires.

"Not exactly like that but close," The Doctor says "In my case despite even sex being a foreign concept among individual Time Lords it like on any world mating happens. I was born naturally but was unwanted in my house given it was not by marriage."

"Oh," Rory says in understanding.

"Led to quite bullying, neglect. Spent a lot of my time out in the outer regions of Gallifrey, in the slums to use a human term or a run-down wild west town. This didn't do me any favors society wise" The Doctor says smirking amusedly.

"Yeah like you even cared" Rory adds knowingly.

"Exactly. Anyway, I was married off, I had children and grandchildren. Eventually, they went their own ways, lost touch with most of my family but one young grandchild Susan" The Doctor says, "I wasn't going to let her get exposed to the Untempered Schism."

"Uh, the what?" Rory inquires.

"The Untempered Schism is a tear in the fabric of the time vortex. At the age of eight Time Lords are taken to stare into it. Bit messy of a process, some go mad, others become inspired or runaway. In some ways, I'm all three of them" The Doctor says.

Grimacing "Yeah, I can see why you wouldn't want your granddaughter exposed to that" Rory replies.

Nodding "Yeah that was one of the reasons I ended up stealing the old girl from the junkyard and ran away," The Doctor says.

"Wait you stole a TARDIS and ran? Yeah wow, you and my daughter really are alike" Rory replies.

"Amy's told me about some of Melody's adventures growing up. I find the bus one to be particularly humorous or driving the principle's car into the gym. Not quite stealing the King's spaceship off of Regus Five but back on topic. Once landing on earth well I eventually began having traveling campions. Some various young women beyond caring never more than that. Not even a physical attraction" The Doctor says.

"Ever?" Rory asks in partial disbelief.

"I got close with another Time Lord called Romana for short period but nothing more, just brief moments. Romana was still a Time Lady, right from the academy when we first met. The same line of thinking of love being pointless. First companion I ever kissed was Grace Holloway, around nine hundred years of age. Didn't mean anything" The Doctor says, "I've been kissed following that or had to for a transfer of DNA, poor Martha I really did mess up her life."

"And for my daughter?" Rory asks in a certain firm tone.

"River is the first person who I've ever felt anything towards beyond simple care. What that means in human terms don't know, haven't figured it out yet but River is unique. I made a promise to her of marriage I won't use your daughter Rory" The Doctor replies.

"Hmm," Rory says after a moment "Sounds like you're in-love Time Lord, but then again what do I know."

"Does this answer your question, Rory?" The Doctor asks.

"Yes, it does and thank you, I'm not going to tell anyone. Your secrets are safe with me" Rory replies seriously.

"Oh, not worried about that Mr. Pond, I'll use rule one if I need to," The Doctor says grinning.

Rolling his eyes at being used to the Time Lord's antics Rory gets to his feet walks away leaving The Doctor alone.

Popping another jelly baby in his mouth mulling over what he told Rory for wondering if he really is falling for Melody Pond.

Like River did nearly destroy the universe by messing with a fixed point but quickly decided to put things right including letting him die, because she merely wanted to let him know how much the universe cared about the rebel Time Lord. Even married River and let her go it's clear feels something for Doctor Song. But love?

Well, one day he may just indeed, she certainly takes his breath away every time he runs into her or usually River running by him while being chased by Cybermen. Not to mention The Doctor notes he does enjoy spending time with her more than his usual companions.

Even Rose was another campion he cared for, not in love with her, although frankly thinks his last face overhyped Rose in his own mind. Plus, how major vanity issues his previous self was, and a tad too dramatic. None of his other selves had those major issues about regeneration either.

Pushing those thoughts aside decides maybe he is indeed falling for River Song, since she certainly loves him. Mind you he does wonder why given from her point of view it would be simply trying to kill him in Berlin to the lake, so where would Doctor Song have discovered love in-between? Suddenly the solution hits him like a freight train off Telos as The Doctor excitedly jumping to his feet.

"Of course, we are time travelers, clearly, I've got to show River I mean Melody, well both the same. I need to show her the wonders of the universe during her time at that boring school learning to dig up bones" The Doctor exclaims excitedly "After all not like my wife is going to magically fall for me. Well, she could but so not the point."

Dashing out the door to the console room in a sprint The Doctor happily thinks time to put away your books Melody Pond because you're getting a front-row seat anywhere in the universe free of charge.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed and leave a review letting me know what you think if you want.**

**I wanted to do was establish why River went from Berlin to the lake events seemingly loving the Doctor and never established how that changed occurred.**

**So, having it be The Doctor went to go spend time visiting River during her time in college and having adventures answers that.**

**Mind you Moffat should have at least referred to doing that in the show itself, but then again filling plot holes is not Moffat's specialty.**

**Now The Doctor being this open to Rory might be a bit OCC but oh well.**

**Oh, Henry Gordon Jago & George Litefoot in the expanded DW universe were the inspirations of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson according to one source. Having Madame Vastra, Jenny with Strax is from the new series.**

**Until next time**


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